Time for my 50 hour service on the Kubota MX5400 HST. Oil and filter were easy, and for once I didn’t spill oil everywhere. Then on to the Hydraulic oil filter. Well, I could NOT break that sucker loose. Broke two filter wrenches trying to get it loose. Got myself a serious strap wrench today and will have a go tomorrow. Open to any worthwhile suggestions.

Strap wrench- check
Cheater bar - check

Are you changing the fluid too or just the filter?

Just the hyd filters (hydraulic filter and transmission filter) at 50 hours. Hyd fluid much further down the road.

YouTube “tractor hydraulic filter shop vac”. I’ve done it with good results.

Now I’m sitting here trying to remember if I had to do it on mine or if new designs keep the oil from running out during the filter change. I can’t remember on my L3901.

A good strap wrench will do the trick and if you’re pushing your tractor hard with the grapples I’d change the hydro fluid more often than recommended. Hydro fluids a cheap insurance policy compared to all the other components.

If needed you can whack the filter a few times with a dead blow to break it loose while turning it.

If the strap wrench doesn't get it, is there room to fit a pair of locking filter pliers?

Try a little rubber tape on that strap wrench, it should help grip a little more.

Righty tighty, lefty loose.

That tractor will take 11 gallons of hydraulic fluid, I have the MX 5200.

I was hoping that Ol Thumper would chime in. He and a few of you guys have much experience to offer. I was gonna tackle this tomorrow, but it’s raining buckets right now and the slab will be a muddy mess.

And angus is right on the 11 gallons, and the stuff is expensive, but I do change more often that the maintenance chart says. I keep good records, and when I traded in the old tractor, I gave them my records. They were shocked. I guess most folks don’t keep maintenance records.

I discussed all this with a Kubota service guy today, and I mentioned that mice and rats have not attacked my wiring, though my neighbor (Kioti tractor) is getting his tractor wiring all chewed up. Kioti apparently used organic based insulation, whereas Kubota tried it for a very short while and went back to a less edible insulation.

Soy based wiring tastes better.

Just in case you didn’t know always take a marker and write the date and hours on all the filters so when you have a memory lapse you’ll know exactly when they were changed. A sharpie will work but I prefer a paint pen,

When you get yours situated come on up and help a brother out, I’ve got 33 hydraulic filters in my back seat I need changed out on a few machines this week

That’s pure gold information right there. I had been writing that down but then space off the piece of paper.

Yep 11 gallons of hydraulic oil and filter along with engine oil filter and 2 gallons of oil is about $525.00. Pay me now or pay me later.

Yep, I do write the date and hours on the filters. As for your 33 filters, I think my Lumbago is acting up.

Angus, you just didn’t have to remind me of the $525 cost. I hadn’t actually totaled it up yet, and was trying to not think about it.

My 2 filter task shrinks to insignificance next to the 33 filter task. I’m not even going to get started till the rain quits and the slab is dry. Thursday maybe.

I write the date and mileage on all my filters also.

Strap wrench worked. Took help from a cheater bar though. And the suggestion that sandpaper would keep the strap from slipping was solid gold.

Didn’t lose much hydraulic fluid during the change outs.

Good job on getting it changed, now go buy a heavy duty rubber strap wrench for the next service and you won’t need tape.

Hmmm…rubber strap wrench. I’ll look into that.

Never thought about sandpaper between the strapwrench and filter. That is a great idea.

Sandpaper has dozens of uses and is handy as a shirt pocket.

After the filter changes, I started with the grease gun. Hit all the easy to reach places and then had to crawl under the tractor to get to the front axle support grease spots. On my back, reached out and attached the grease gun, only to find out that I was completely out of grease. Ya gotta wonder why that couldn’t happen when I was vertical. Maybe the Good Lord was having a bit of fun with me. And I don’t scootch along on my back as well as i did in my younger days. I cussed a little. Then I laughed. Then I wiggled out and got more grease. Just another day in the country…

LoL if I go to the floor I have to have a plan to get up. Ain’t happening.